The German language, known natively as Deutsch, is an Indo-European language and part of the larger West Germanic family that includes English and Dutch. It is primarily spoken in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein, and has around 95-100 million native speakers worldwide. It's one of the major languages of the European … [Read more...]

There is nothing wrong with making mistakes - the point is to learn from them when you make them so you can avoid making them again and come yet one step closer to proficiency. Two of the common errors that beginners typically make are: first, those garbled sentences that you can avoid only by learning whole new structures and making sure you … [Read more...]

Actually, the exact German equivalent to "hi" is, well, "hi". It’s not really German, as you might assume, but Germans adopted it and it’s quite usual among younger and less conservative people. From "hallo" to "na", learn the different ways to say “hello” in the German language. You’ll fit right in regardless of where you are in the country. 1. … [Read more...]

Quotes can make you laugh, cry, or think. They can help you find that tiny bit of truth that kept evading you. In other words, quotes evoke emotion. And when you have an emotional connection to something, you are more likely to remember it. Besides, it's a fun way to learn new words! “Dumme Gedanken hat jeder, aber der Weise verschweigt … [Read more...]

Although the German language may seem harsh and hard at first, it is filled with humorous expressions (many of them food-related). However funny expressions and phrases are at first, it's definitely worth learning a few. See for yourself! German Phrase Literal English Translation Meaning Jetzt geht's um die Wurst Now it goes … [Read more...]

This verb list comes from Randall Jones & Erwin Tschirner’s A Frequency Dictionary of German. Core Vocabulary for Learners, which lists the 4034 most commonly used words in German. Here are the 100 most common German verbs along with their English translations. You just have to learn these verbs to start studying German because they are used … [Read more...]

Germans are universally known as a rather serious lot, lacking any sense of humor (disclaimer: NOT TRUE). However, German language bears so many pitfalls, leading to an array of funny situations. The way German speakers are unintentionally funny is priceless and an invaluable way to break the ice in awkward situations. Just imagine all the business … [Read more...]

Memorizing the gender of countless German nouns can be pretty frustrating. For someone who is just starting out with German, this can be really confusing – especially as the genders don’t necessarily seem logical. German nouns can be masculine, feminine or neuter, and this gender affects the form of the articles (and the adjectives) we … [Read more...]